If I was Ed and Red!

Of course Ed Miliband, Labour’s new leader who only won because of the unions’ vote and support will reject claims that he is their stooge. And of course, as he told Andrew Marr this morning, he finds being called Red Ed tiresome, plus its understandable him reaching out to the middle classes!

So far he is a colour and label free man who knows his own mind and wants to reach out to the heart of the country – in other words he is a politician – nothing new there!

Except in his case, he was not the Parliamentary Labour Party choose, nor was he the grassroots pick, but, he most defiantly was and will always be during this leadership the unions’ pick and their man, so what will a seasoned politician do in this case?

To many the unions conjure up images of trouble, strikes, and militancy, visions of times bygone, a past where negotiations are done by threats dictating and walk out not by talks and compromise to reach what’s best for all.

Unfortunately for Mr Miliband, before he can move forward he needs to take a step backwards, and show true leadership and gravitas, he needs to face his union buddies and get them to call off next weeks strike – and remember, either way and whatever he do from now on the middle classes will always be watching.